Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-04-23
"RAILwAY PRACTICE. "

Messrs. G. z. PUTNAM'S Sons, Of New
York, have Just issued in their series Of
Questions of the Day" small volume
by Mr.. E. PORTER ALEXANDER, on
Railway Practice" Mr.. ALEXANDER
deals with the question from q railway
standpoint, and treats Of Determinations,
the short and long haul, pools and various
other phases treated Of in the Interstate
Commerce bill.
The writer says that transportation rates
are determined by their value to shippers,
sand that value is fixed by competition.
yEho reason that rates (s2.1G from Ogden,
'laitah, 10 New York are more than the
rates ($l25) from San Francisco, 500 miles
further, to New York, is because water
transportation ut San Francisco is what the
railroads have fixed their rates for.
Then the writer goes on
to show that the effect of carrying out the
long and short haul clause ON this road
would be that when the railroad and
water lines are at peace, every rate above
SIPS would have to be reduced to that
figure, and when they were in active COM
potion every interior rate would be reduced
to 81 cents" He further continues: Now
hear in mind that every cent Of this re-
duetiou is q loss of net revenue, for the
opse Of doing the buoineSs remains un-
hanged. Also, two other facts, Of great
Importance in determining the question.
First, the amount of local business upon
which rates would have to he reduced, is
probably three times as great as the through
business in question; second, the net rev
enue on the through business, dOneat such
low rates, is probably not third Of the
net revenue which would be lost upon the
local, pound for pound by reduction.
Evidently the profts to the railroads
would be as nine 10 one
ia favor of simply abandoning
the entire through business and combining
itself 20 the local" Mr.. ALEXANDER
also says that the allegation that railways
make up nom local freight for losses on
through freight is false, except it might
sometimes happen in a railway war.
\ We have given the substance of Mr..
ALExANDER's argument as it is exactly
what the railways are now following out
against the Interstate Commerce bill. But
let us look at it:
The railroads say that they made profit
BY shipping goods from San Francisco TO
New York for $1.25 per ewt. This being
30 would they not still make profit by
shipping from Ogden, Utah, to New York
for Si2S, the distance being 500 miles
neoxer2 II the companies make a profit by
s-shipping from Cincinnati to Baltimore for
$50 per car Lad, win they not still make
apro6tSby shipping \ car load from Park
ersbnrg Cor the same price? Ifa company
can make prO6t by shipping certain
quantity Of goods from Wheeling to Graf
ton for $40, can this company not still
make profit by shipping the same guam
THY Of goods from FairmOnt to Grafton?
On what grounds, then, are the Pacific
railway companies working that have
made through freights four times what
they were formerly, with little or no re-
., wIll go;u local rates9 Why not reduce
'tiend the I'd stilI make the Old profit ON
- ...,,, 80 80 iyyrhssI,shey admitted that
: va -.-sl profit on
N ladies' fne kid hand So
! anything that is offered.
jos HAsESAUkR